Rebel by Cheryl Brooks Page B

take her in his arms and hold her until she stopped shivering. The whole “mate” issue crept back into his thoughts. Getting closer to her was wrong, and he knew it.
    “Open the door, Captain.” As the door slid back, he waved her inside. “After you.”
    He followed Kim into the kitchen, where Roncas and Jatki sat waiting at the table. “Took you two long enough to get here. Were you followed?”
    “I don’t think so. I used the cloak on the speeder for a while. Then we took the scenic route the rest of the way.”
    Onca expected her to make some snide remark, but Roncas seemed content to leave it at that. Following a brief nod, she yawned, her pearly teeth catching the light. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m beat. Mind if I crash here for a while?”
    He nearly sighed with relief. “Not at all. We’re probably safer here than almost anyplace else—and so are you.”
    “Yeah. That’s what I thought.” She got up from the table and motioned for the girls to follow her. “The spare bedrooms are upstairs.”
    Jatki stared at Onca with frank disbelief. “You have extra rooms?”
    “Six of them,” Roncas said. “And don’t worry. They’re fully furnished.” With a wink, she added, “I did the decorating myself.”
    Jatki still seemed puzzled. “How come you have so many?”
    “I have friends who stay here once in a while,” Onca replied. He glanced at Kim. So much for planning ahead. “When a family of Zetithians comes for a visit, you need lots of room for all the kids.”
    He pictured Kim coming back to see him someday, with whichever of Cat and Jack’s boys she wound up marrying. He guessed it would be Larry rather than Moe or Curly, although any of them would make her a good husband. Of course, they would have a litter of adorable children and—
    “Onca!” Roncas said sharply. “Stop that.”
    “Stop what?”
    “You were growling.”
    “I was not!”
    “Yes, you were. Come on, girls. Let’s let the beast get some sleep.” Without a backward glance, Roncas led the way to the stairs, followed closely by Jatki.
    Kim, however, hesitated. “Thank you for letting us stay here. I haven’t felt safe in a very long time.” The gratitude shining from her deep brown eyes was unquestionably sincere. “Come to think of it, I’m not sure I ever have.”
    “And you feel safe now?”
    She nodded. “Ever since I first saw you. Weird, isn’t it?”
    “Yeah. Very weird.” Like the way he had felt so…protective. Best not to dwell on it. “Captain will keep the place locked down tight and alert me if anyone comes snooping around.” He gestured toward his bedroom. “If you need anything, I’ll be right here.”
    Her brief nod was followed by a deliberate swallow. Moistening her lips with her tongue, she drew a breath as though about to say something but, instead, gave her head an infinitesimal shake and turned away.
    As he watched her go, a sense of profound loss swept through him. A moment later, he realized he was purring.
    At least she isn’t around to hear me this time.
    Nevertheless, as he stripped off his clothes and climbed into bed, he couldn’t help wondering when he’d started purring. Was it before or after she left him? Purring was supposed to entice females, but she’d gone upstairs without saying a word. If she had heard him purring, would she have stayed?
    I have absolutely no idea.
    He was still trying to sort it all out when he finally fell asleep.
    ***
    Kim, Jatki, and Roncas each took a different room on the second floor. Onca’s bed had tempted her earlier, but Kim gave in to this one without a fight.
    Her body did, anyway. Her brain had other plans.
    Sleeping in a real bed for the first time in years should have had her nodding off instantly. However, Onca’s expression when she left him standing there in the kitchen kept her awake for a very long time—not to mention the fact that he’d been purring.
    If he didn’t want her kissing him again, he